VIETNAM CULTURE TOUR IN YOUR EYES -10 DAYS FROM HANOI

Ranked among the world’s best destinations, Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam with more than 1000 years of history and culture. Hanoi is also well-known for its beautiful lakes with the image of local Tai Chi in the early morning, tree-line boulevards, flowers on bicycles and delicious dishes.

08:00: Pick up and transfer to visit the Museum of Ethnology – an insight into the 54 different ethnic groups living in Vietnam.It is here you will learn about the cultural diversity of different ethnic groups from religious events to the symbolic rituals as well as display of a variety of Vietnamese homes as full-scale replicas outside.

Continue to the Temple of Literature which is the first university in Vietnam. It was constructed in 1070, first to honor Confucius and nowadays to celebrate the doctorates and ranked scholars of Vietnam.

Have lunch at local restaurant.

Then, you will have an amazing trip to the Train Street (best time to be there is around 2pm as there is a train leaving at 02:30pm and another arrival at 03:30pm) to take fantastic pictures of incoming train as well as see how locals live on both sides of the railway. A little bit far from the hustle, bustle and narrow old streets, Train street is where the trains just hurl through the residential area in mere feed away from local lives. Enjoy a cup of coffee at Train Track Coffee Shop while watching the trains pass.

Next, visit Ho Chi Minh complex with first stop at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside) –a large memorial pays homage to the national hero – President Ho Chi Minh who led the country to independence and reunification. The Mausoleum is located at Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh President read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945 establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Then take a short walk to the Presidential Palace and house on stilts.

Near from Ho Chi Minh complex, we visit to the One Pillar Pagoda (special with unique architecture of lotus flower) – a must-see place for tourists to Hanoi.

Finally, take a cyclo ride around the Old Quarter to observe the daily life of Hanoian, as well as see how locals manage in the incredible traffic. We will also enjoy a fantastic water puppet show.

Overnight in Hanoi.

We start at 9.00 A.M for the 2.5 hours drive to Halong Bay (150 km) through highways connecting Hanoi – Hai Phong & Hai Phong – Ha Long Bay. Our destination is Halong bay – the most famous World Heritage Site in Vietnam, famous for its beautiful seascape, thousands of spectacular islands and islets jutting out from the sea, amazing caves with marvelous stalagmites and stalactites in different sizes and shapes.

11:30 – 12:00 Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed on board our luxury junk and treated with wine and fresh local seafood. As our junk gliding further into the tranquility of Ha Long Bay amid the towering mountain cliffs and on the emerald green water, you’ll have relaxing time combining the fine tastes of the wine and the freshness of Ha Long Bay. During the cruise, we’ll stop some times for visiting the amazing Sung Sot cave and the Ti Top white sand beach before anchoring for the night. Overnight on board the junk in the wild of Halong Bay.

After breakfast, we’ll take a little sampan or kayak to visit a secret lagoon of Ha Long Bay while the surrounding mountains are just waking up. After that our cruise takes us further into the Bay of Bai Tu Long traveling past the Human Head Island, the Turtle Island, and the Duck Islet… to the studio site where the famous Indochine film was shot. Around noon, our junk travels back to the harbor, pick up and drive back to Noi Bai airport for flight to Hue.

Pick up and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Hue.

This morning, you will have an nice cyclo ride to visit the Imperial Citadel

Continue to Thien Mu pagoda – the oldest one in Hue located by the Perfume river

After lunch, we visit the tomb of Kinh Minh Mang and Khai Dinh then drive to Hoi An.

Check in on arrival and time at leisure.

Overnight in Hoi An.

This morning, we cycle to Tra Que vegetable village where you will have a good time learning how to grow vegetables, water vegetables and the life of a Vietnamese farmer. Then you will learn to cook typical Vietnamese dishes. Lunch with what you cook.

In the afternoon, experience the basket boat – the boat that Vietnamese fishermen use for fishing. It is a fun time

Back to your hotel and overnight in Hoi An.

Free at leisure until we pick you up and transfer to Danang airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh city famous with modern office skyscrapers, Oriental style pagodas and food stalls along the street.

Upon your arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, pick up and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Optional tour – Ho Chi Minh Vespa Tour: Experience as local people with a Vespa and escorted by a driver, visiting the city landmarks that give you a view of the city unlike anything on your Vietnam tour. Take a peek at the history, the streets and the sights that most visitors never even hear about or see. You will pass through the Chinese district of Saigon, stop to see a sweet smelling flower market and visit a breathtaking yet hidden Buddhist pagoda, Saigon Opera House & Post Office which were designed by Gustave Eiffel.

Around 08:00, our tour guide picks you up at your hotel lobby, then driving 90Km (2hrs) to Ben Tre. The boat will cruise along the Ham Luong river (a branch of the Mekong) and stop off at various local workplaces including a brick works, a coconut processing workshop and a mat weaving house. The boat will then stop at a quiet village where you can have a short walk to experience real Delta village life, boarding your Xe Loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) and stopping at a riverside restaurant for a delicious and filling lunch, featuring such local specialties as elephant-ear fish and river shrimp.

After lunch, it’s time to board a sampan for a relaxing trip along narrow canals, then we will head back to Saigon and arrive at your hotel at around 17:00.

Free time at leisure for you to wrap up your memorable Vietnam Holiday until private guide will see you off at the airport with the sincere thanks for your travel to Vietnam and with us. We hope that you have enjoyed your Vietnam trip and look forward to welcoming you back for your next Vietnam Tour, goodbye and see you again!!!